


Partners in Crime (Forever)

by omia65



Series: I work with them now [4]
Category: Leverage
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Bonding, Mates, Multi, Wedding Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-06
Updated: 2015-04-06
Packaged: 2018-03-21 11:46:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3691077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/omia65/pseuds/omia65
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The bonding ceremony for Eliot, Parker, and Hardison.  Total fluff!</p>
            </blockquote>





	Partners in Crime (Forever)

            They were not, under any circumstances, going to have a bonding ceremony.  Eliot didn’t see what the fuss was about, Hardison made his opinion on wearing tuxes very clear, and Parker could only think about the over-the-top extravaganza Sophie had planned for her own bonding ceremony.  That’s why, three months after Parker and Hardison officially asked Eliot, Hardison finds himself standing in a beautiful reception hall, tugging on the too-tight shirt collar and wondering what the hell happened to not having a bonding ceremony. 

            “Stop fussing with that.”  Sophie says to him, batting his hand away from his neck.  “You’ll mess up your tie.” 

            “Is that _Sterling_?”  Eliot growls from behind Hardison.  Hardison jerks away from Sophie and cranes his head to see around her.  Sure enough, sitting in a row towards the back, is Sterling, looking bored and vaguely dangerous. 

            “Your guest list had maybe ten people on it.”  Sophie says, turning a critical eye on Eliot’s hair.  “This is a big day.  Lots of people should be here.”

            “But _Sterling?_ ”  Hardison asks, only to be cut off by Eliot, who launches into a lecture about safety and not letting too many people know he was bonded. 

            “Relax.”  Sophie says.  “Trust me, once Parker comes down the aisle, you’ll forget every silly little thing you’ve been complaining about.”

            “Fine.”  Hardison says, because he knows she’s right, even if he’s not exactly sure what Parker’s going to be wearing – she’d been oddly secretive about the whole thing.  He can’t picture her in something like the dress that Sophie had worn for her bonding ceremony.  It had been glittering and extravagant and poofy, and Hardison doesn’t think that applies to Parker.  Then again, he didn’t think they were going to be having a ceremony, so he supposes anything is possible.  Especially when it comes to Parker. 

Hardison scans the reception hall again.  His nana is beaming at him from the front row, already dabbing away tears.  Maggie is sitting next to her, looking like she might start crying soon.  He spots Bonanno sitting a few rows back.  Parker’s friend Peggy is there, as is most of their staff from the brew pub.  A few of Eliot’s buddies from the service came.  And –

            “Tell me you did not invite Chaos.”  Hardison says. 

            “Isn’t he still supposed to be in jail?”  Eliot asks, which Hardison thinks is a bit of an under-reaction for a very serious problem. 

            “I didn’t invite him.”  Sophie says.  “He just showed up and I couldn’t get rid of him.”

            Hardison’s about to tell Eliot to have a couple of his buddies drag Chaos out of the hall, but the lights dim slightly and music starts playing.  Sophie hisses at him and Eliot to stand up straighter before she takes her place at the witness stand.  Hardison gulps.  This is it.  Any moment Parker is going to walk down the aisle and soon enough the three of them will be bonded.  Eliot reaches out and grabs Hardison’s hand, and the two of them stand there like that, waiting to see Parker.

            A hush falls over the room.  Everyone is turned slightly in their seats, looking towards the back of the hall.  The big wooden doors open.  Hardison is pretty sure he isn’t even breathing.  Eliot’s grip on his hand tightens. 

            Nate and Archie step into the hall.  They’re both dressed in sharp tuxedos, and everything would be perfect except for the fact that Parker isn’t with them.  Hardison twists to look at Eliot, who shrugs.  It’s not like Parker’s going to bail on them or anything, Hardison knows that.  He’s more nervous about what she’s up to than where she is. 

            There’s a gleeful yell from above, and Hardison looks up in time to see Parker descend from the rafters.  The train of her dress swirls around her as she flies through the air.  She lands between Nate and Archie, the gauzy fabric floating gently down around her.  It’s nothing like Hardison imagined, but now he can’t see her wearing anything else for this day.  Her hair is slightly disheveled and she’s got a huge grin on her face, and everything is perfect.  He hears Eliot say “Wow”, but his own brain can barely process the fact that he’s getting bonded, today, to the people he loves most in the world, let alone form words.  So he just watches in amazed silence as Nate and Archie each offer an arm to Parker and they begin their walk down the aisle.  It takes them forever to get to where Hardison and Eliot are standing.  Hardison’s heart seems to be beating a little faster with every step they take.  Eliot’s grip on his hand tightens to the point where Hardison can barely feel his fingers, but he doesn’t care. 

            Parker is finally, finally, standing right in front of them.  Her eyes are sparkling and she looks like she’s about ready to just launch herself at Hardison and Eliot, which may be why Nate and Archie look so hesitant to step back.  Then again, their hesitation might have something to do with the fact both men have tears in their eyes.  Archie steps back and sits next to Nana, and Nate takes his place next to Sophie at the witness stand.  Hardison almost forgets how to breathe.  This is it. 

            The bonding official – a little old man who knows Sophie as Eleanor – steps forward.  Hardison almost doesn’t hear the first part of the ceremony.  He’s too focused on the smile on Parker’s face and the way Eliot is pressed against him.  Soon enough it’s time for the vows.  Traditionally, since Eliot is the alpha, he would go first.  But instead it’s Parker who speaks first.  She holds out her hands, and Eliot and Hardison both take one.  It feels like the rest of the world fades away and it’s just them. 

            “I never thought I was going to find a family.”  Parker says.  “And once I did, I thought that would be enough.  But it wasn’t.  You two loved me and accepted me and made me feel safe and happy when I thought that would never happen for me.”  She squeezes their hands.  “You make me laugh.  You understand me.”  Her voice wavers a bit, and a single tear breaks free from her watering eyes.  “I promise to be by your side no matter what.  I can’t promise that I won’t steal cookies from you or push you off a building – with a harness, silly– but I promise to love you always.”

            It’s Hardison’s turn next.  He takes a deep breath.  “Eliot and Parker, you are my best friends.  You’ve shown me what true partnership means.  I never believed in soulmates until I found you two.  But I don’t have any other explanation for what we have.  I promise to support you every step of this journey together.  I promise to make you laugh.  I’d promise that I’ll stop talking about World of Warcraft so much, but since that would be a lie, I’ll just say that I promise to gift you with my awesome sense of humor and good looks, and that I promise to be humble.”

            Eliot is smiling at both of them, the corners of his eyes all crinkled up.  “I used to think that being in love was too dangerous.  I never wanted to hurt someone I cared about because of who I am.  But you two have seen me at my worst and you still haven’t left my side.  I am honored that you want me as your alpha.  I promise to protect you from the true evils of the world.  I promise to follow you wherever you want to go.  I promise that we will never, ever, be normal.  I promise to embrace every challenge that we face together.”

            The bond official steps forward again.  “Please repeat after me.  I vow to be your partner in crime.  I vow to love you and support you.  I vow to cherish every good moment we have and I vow to hold your hands and face the bad moments together.”

            They repeat the vows.  A sense of total contentment starts to fall over Hardison, hearing their three voices mix together as one.  When they finish, the bonding official looks over to Nate and Sophie.  “Do the witnesses confirm that these three people are meant to be bonded?”

            “Yes.”  Sophie and Nate say in unison.

            “Will you stand witness to their testament of love?”

            “Yes.”

            He turns back to Hardison, Parker, and Eliot.  “Please place your left hands together in front of me.”  They do as he says.  The leather cuffs Hardison and Parker had picked out seem especially beautiful in this moment.  Hardison can barely believe that he’s going to be bonded – officially bonded – in a matter of seconds.  “As a bonding official for the state of Oregon, I now pronounce you bonded in heart, in mind, and in spirit.  Congratulations.”

            The hall erupts in clapping and cheers.  Hardison doesn’t want to ever move, afraid of breaking the perfect spell that seems to have been cast.  But suddenly Eliot is kissing him, and then Parker, and then Parker kisses him.  It feels like everything has changed and nothing has changed, and Hardison doesn’t know how that works, but he’s perfectly content to offer his arm to Parker.  Eliot does the same, and they begin their walk back down the aisle.

            Hardison supposes he should pay a little more attention at the reception following the ceremony, but after everyone has come up to hug and congratulate them, he loses track of everything else happening around him, too caught up with the knowledge that he and Parker and Eliot are officially bonded, that he’s going to spend the rest of his life with his two best friends.  When the reception finally winds down and they say their goodbyes, walking out into the cool night air, Hardison feels like he’s finally found everything that he’s been looking for. 

**Author's Note:**

> Please leave comments to let me know what you think! And I'm always happy for suggestions for other stories in this verse! The vows may be a little ooc for them, but Hardison and Eliot can be pretty sappy when they want and I figured Parker had some help with hers from Sophie.


End file.
